Gang-plow



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. S.BBNSON.

GANG PLOW.

Patented Jan. 3,18 82..

xiv

INVENTUR.

ATT E571 N. FETERS. mmume m her. Washinglcn. 0. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. s. BENSON.

GANG PLOW. I No. 251,817. Patented Ja.11.8,1882.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY n. PETERS, ihuluLRhcgm phen Washington. 0. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 3.

' Bfs; BENSON GANG PLOW. No. 251,817. Patented Jan. 3,1882.

N, PETERS. Phumuxm n her. Washing! D. Q

UNITED STATES PATENT A OFFICE.

BENJAMIN S. BENSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

GANG-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,817, dated January 3, 1882.

Application filed March 24, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. BENsoN, of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements-- 5 in Gang-Flows; and I hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactly described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gang-plow; Figs. 2 and 3, similar views of opposite sides of a single plow; Fig. 4, a plan of the gangplow; Fig. 5, a similar view of one of thecarrying-trucks; Fig. 6, a transverse sectional view of the same; Fig. 7, a side elevation, and Fig. 8 an end elevation, of the truck.

My invention has reference to gang-plows designed for use in connection with tractionengines and it consists in a plow of that class constructed and operating substantially as hereinafter set forth, the salient features of the same being the mechanism for altering the width and depth of furrow, for allowing the separate plows to yield as they encounter obstacles, and the carrying-trucks pivoted at either side of the frame.

The plow about to be described is designed for use in connection with a traction-engine such as is described in my application for Letters Patentfiled March 8, 1881, of which said application the present one originally constituted a part.

In the drawings, 61 is a beam which crosses the gang-plow, and is firmly attached by a pivot, 63, on either end, to a truck, 62. The truck consists of a frame having four flanged wheels, 64, sprocket-wheels 65, and a railway composed of track-links 66, tie-rods 67, and feet 68, precisely similar to those of the traction-engine above referred to. In this case, however, the sprocket-wheels are not powerdriven, but simply turn as the plow is drawn by the engine, laying the tracks and running upon them. The outer ends of the tie-rods are provided with braces 69, (see Fig. 8,),extending from the feet 68 upward, and bent at right angles, as shown, the design being to afford a support as the truck runs with the outer feet in the furrow, as indicated by the dotted line v70. The front wheels of the trucks are pivoted to the body at 71, and the front ends are attached by rods 72 to the side pull-bar, 73, and beams 79 of the plow-gang, so that the trucks are guided to follow the engine. A beam, 74, is rigidly secured to the truck, and to its end a lever, 75, is attached, the end of which engages with a slotted bar, 76, on the beam 61, so that the truck may be canted laterally by depressing the end of the lever. From the beam 61 extend braces 77, (see Fig. 1,) which are attached at their lower ends to the frame 78 of the gang-plow. This frame consists of longitudinal beams 79 and lateral beams 80, pivot-ed together somewhat after the manner of a lazy-tongs, so that the width of furrow cut by the plows may be regulated at will. This is efl'ected by turning thewheel 81, which is mounted at one front corner of the frame, and causes that corner to approach or recede from the front of the pull-bar 82. The wheel 81 actuates a threaded sleeve which is screwed on the rod 83, that connects the frame-corner with the front of the pull-bar and lengthens or shortens the rod, as will be readily understood. Lateral pull-beams 73 85 connect the'sides of the frame with a cross-bar, S6, pivoted to the middle pull-bar, 82, which is attached to the engine.

To the frame 78 are bolted inclined braces 87, which are connected at their upper ends by across-bar,88, having plates 89, through which pass the rods 90, that extend upward from the short plow-beams 91. Segmental braces 92 are secured to the beams 79, and on these braces run the wheels'93, that are mounted in the front ends of the long plow-beams 94, (see Fig. 2,) and to each beam is secured a bell-crank lever, 95, which is attached to a cross-rod, 96, that extends clear across the frame. vious that upon moving this rod longitudinally the entire series of plows is inclined to the line of draft, their wheels 93 running on the braces It is ob- 92. This longitudinal movement of the rod 96 is conveniently effected by turning the screwrod 97 through the medium of the hand-wheel 98, the screw-rod passing through a threaded sleeve or nut, 99, which is attached to a rod, 100, that is in turn aflixed to the rod 96. It will thus be seen that the entire frame admits of an adjustment of its angle of inclination .to the dralt, and the plows are independently adjustable in the same plane.

The construction of the plows is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which 94 is the long beam, having its rear end, 101, arc-shaped, and

provided with a slot, 102, with which a lug, 103, on the short beam 91 engages. The short beam is attached by a link, 84, to a lever, 104, pivoted to thelong beam, which leveris normally drawn forward by means of a spring, 105, holding the lug 103 in the slot 102. The rod 90 extends from the shortbeam upward through the plate at the top of the frame. The plowpoint is located to the rear of the pivoted attachment of the beam 91, so that upon encounterin g an obstruction the short beam is drawn" rearward until the lug 10 3 is disengaged from the slot 102, when the short beam tilts upward, carrying the plow-iron, which then rises over the obstruction. As soon as the obstruction is passed the beam is again brought down into place, when the spring 105 again causes the lug to enter the slot. The location of the plowpoint to the rear of the pivotal point allows the plow to tilt upward, so as to override any obstruction that the plow-frame will pass over, be it a rock, stump, or any other obstacle, which would otherwise inevitably break the plow. The springs 105 are made strong enough to hold the plows rigidly to the performance of any work short of that which would result in breaking them were they unprovided with mechanism for allowing them to yield. The depth of furrow is regulated by means of a hand-wheel, 106, and screw-rod 107, passing ingindependently guided and steered as hereinbefore set forth.

What I claim -is- 1. In combination with the gang-plow frame, the supporting-trucks 62 on each side thereof, having endless tracks 66, tie-rods 67, and feet 68, as set forth.

2. In combination with the gang-plow frame, the supporting-trucks running upon endless tracks pivoted to either side ofthe same, and connected therewith by arms 72, as set forth.

3. In combination with the gang-plow frame and pull-bar 82, the adjustably-pivoted lateral pull-bars 73 85 and screw-rod, as set forth.

and pull-bars 73, 82, and 85, the pivoted crossbar 86 and screw-rod 83, as set forth.

5. In combination with the plow-gang and frame 78, the cross-bar 96, nut 99, rod 97, and hand-wheel 98, as set forth.

6. In combination with the wheel, rod, nut, and bar, 98, 97, 99, and 96, the series of plows connected to the bar by bell-crank levers, as

set forth.

7. In combination with the frame having segmental braces 92, the series of plows having the front ends of their beams adapted to run upon said braces, and mechanism for actuating the said beams laterally, as set forth.

,8. In combination with the plow-beam 94, having slot 102, the beam 91, having lug 103, and a spring for holding the lug against ordinary strain in engagement with the slot, as set forth.

9. In combination with the beams 91 94, having slot and lug, the lever 104 and spring 105, as set forth.

10. In combination with the long beam 94, having wheels 93, arcs 101, and slots, the short beams 9t, having lugs, and the rods 90, as set forth.

ll. In combination with the beam 61 and' the gang-plow, the trucks 62, levers 75, and beams 74, as set forth. V 12. In combination with the plow-gang, the I supporting-trucks, having feet 68 and endless tracks, and connected with the pull-bars by rods 72, as set forth.

BENJAMIN S. BENSON.

YVitnesses:

R. D. WILLIAMs, JNo. T.l\/IADDOX.

V 4. In combination with the gang-plow frame 

